The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-29
IN MEMORY OF MAJ A. W. HENDRICKS.
Tributes Of Highest Esteem from Professional
Associates of the Dead Lawyer.

A very large meeting of the bar was held yes
terday afternoon in the United States Court
room, Judge Woods presiding, to take action
the death of Major A. w. Hendricks. All the
other courts of the city were adjourned for the
time, the judges being in attendance. and a
number of members of the bar from other
points in the State added their presence to the
tribute of respect to the deceased. Such
sions are very often manifestations of what
Macaulay named lues Boswelliana-of fulsome
eulogy of the character of the departed profess
ional brother, but what was said yesterday was
too evidently sincere to be questioned, and it
was received with looks of approval that law
yers have the habit Of giving when they hear
what they know to be true and desire
to have recognized as true Memoir
lal addresses were made by Governor
Porter, Senator Mcdonald. Judge C1aypool.
john r. Wilson, Judge Elliott. A. @. Harris and
W. L. FIshback, in the order named. Ihese
We're extended over an hour and a half and were
all in substantially the same lines of thought;
yet various in the language, the incident and
the personal memory of the deceased. Central
and leading in all was the memory of his gentle
of character-a characteristic that drew
men to him and made them love him. Next was
his ability. learning and honor as a lawyer.
Third was his breadth of culture outside of the
law. Admiration, respect and love-and great
est of these was love. There is no member of
the Indiana bar living and none dead is remem-
bered. who possessed the affection of his pro-
fesslona1 associates so universally as Major lien
drlcks, and never before at a bar meeting has
aHectlon been so warmly acknowledged by
words. by looks, and by information. AT the
close of Mr.. Fishbacks remarks the meeting
unanimously adopted the memorial prepared by
the committee consisting of William Wallace,
Noble c. Butler, n. b. Taylor. l. c. Walker, ID.
W. Howe, A. C. Ayres and Frederick Rand.
After giving sketch of his life, the memorial
concluded as follows:
THE bar of Indiana has long regarded Abram
w. Hendricks as a type and expression of its
best aspirations. It's noblest impulses were
personiied in him. He was the ideal lawyer
the exemplar of professional learning and ac-
complishments for its younger members In
him were united thorough intellectual equip
ment and absolute purity of character. He had
strong. alert and penetrative intellect. whose
native vigor was increased by his training at
the bar and researches in the library. In Tor
ensie argument he had not only the power of
compact and logical statement. but he exhibited
wise insight, beyond and above mere skill IN
cate and abstruse subjects, and brought them
within the comprehension of every mind. With
an aptitude for the details of practice. he had
broad and firm grasp OF the general principles
of legislation and judicature which lie
at their base. With a rugged honesty
which entered into and controlled every
act of his life he had a nice and discriminatlve
ethical sense which was unerring In its Judg-
ments He had the highest intellectual as well
as moral integrity, and the courage of both, and
he refused to accept the opinions that were pre-
scribed by political ecclesiastical bodies unless
they obtained the full approval of his own con-
science and Judgment. His demeanor was
marked by sensitive consideration for the
rights and feelings of others, and is inadequately
described as chivalrous or courtly because it
was more sincere and less pretentious than that
to which these terms are ordinarily applied. He
deferential without being Obsequious. and
his politeness was never extended to the sacr1-
fee of his convictions. was it ever a device
for the promotion of personal ends. 1t was the
emanation of a noble and generous splrlt-1ts
natural and appropriate manifestation and IN
yestiture-and it entitled him to wear
without abuse
The grand old of gentleman
DETAINED BY every charlatan,
And soiled with all ignobe use.
ssHe was not mere lawyer. His active and
inouisitive mind was not fully satisfied by the
petty details of courts and cases. While deeply
occupied with the drudgery of laborious and
exacting profession. he found time to crafty his
love of its literature and philosophy. Even in
these upper realms of his vocation. his eager
and catholic intellectually not content to
rest. His conversation and public addresses
furnished ample evidence of a wide and liberal
culture for he took all knowledge for his pro-
vince, and was not confined to any single de-
partment of it.
I'VE tender to the inmates of the home where
his affections centered. and had their root and
sustenance, who were always the objects of
his most affectionate solicitude, our sympathy
and coincidence in their present bereavement
We are partakers in their loss, and deplore it
wifi